Saturday, 7 January 2017

Happy 2017!

It's been a very long time since I blogged and I've been posting almost daily makeup product's over on my Instagram. which are tagged and unsponsored product's I've bought with my own money. I decided to blog and tweet etc on my own name account's so I'll update the link's on my social media to the new account's - well their not new but new to linking to my blog!

Before I receive comment's on why have I stopped using or linking #noncrueltyfree product's let's explain.

1. Major brand's like L'Oreal own drugstore brand's and it's difficult to research who is the Parent Company without spending hour's trawling google and even then this information isn't up-to-date.

2. Some of the crueltyfree brand's are now owned by the likes of L'Oreal, Revlon and Estee Lauder eg Too Faced which was recently acquired by Estee Lauder!

3. I've decided if I like a product I'm going to buy it because I don't have time or the energy to research parent companies of that brand etc. I will of course make it known it's not #crueltyfree if I write a post about a product and where possible name the Parent Company who acquired the former #crueltyfree brand eg as above and I will change my blogger header etc accordingly in the near future.

I might lose some follower's and I might receive some mean comment's but I'm prepared for it. I don't get a lot of hate, maybe I will now but everyone has their own opinion on #crueltyfree v #noncrueltyfree! I'll still try to stick to my favourite #crueltyfree brand's and if I don't know it's owned by one of the major beauty companies feel free to let me know so I can update my post's and become aware of who is the major brand behind that former #crueltyfree company, brand etc.

Current SOCIAL MEDIA link's are: Instagram and Twitter and I'm on Snapchat as: karenlea-anne

Thank's for taking the time to read this post, some will be up-in-arm's and other's will understand why I decided to write a post about this major change to my blog.

Have a great Summer! More from me in the next year! I can't believe it's 2017!

Saturday, 1 August 2015

I'm a Single lady (my 1st year since the Divorce). I'm home alone on a cold wintery Saturday night and rather than drown my sorrow's with a bottle of wine and singing song's by Chaka Khan al'a Bridget Jones, I thought it'd be fun to create a new series where I share with you something every Saturday night and the best part is You can join in!

The aim is to get to know each other. Beyonce's All The Single Ladies spring's to mind.

You can post any picture you like on your Instagram but let's keep it PG.

This is my first Something You Don't Know About Me, which I've posted on Instagram.

So now you know I'm still a #Twihard and I hope you won't hold it against me! LOL

I'm also Robert Pattinson fan. I've met him, he signed my copy of New Moon (which is his fave of the Twilight series) and he spoke to me at the Twilight premiere in London. I'm still swooning over this encounter! I swear he's even more handsome in person and I still have a bit of a thing for him, ladies I wouldn't say no, would you? I've just realised Twilight was 7 year's ago!

Please use the hashtag #BBSYDKAM every Saturday night!

BalmainBeauty Something You Don't Know About Me. It's easier to look at each other's post's if we use this hashtag, please don't forget to use the hashtag if you want other participant's to see your picture.

Let's make the cut-off Sunday at Midnight wherever you live and you can repost again

the following Saturday wherever you live, that mean's we should have lot's of pix to look

at because of all the different Country timezone's.

Feel free to pop your Country down in your description as it'd be nice to see where

you come from and how far this new series is reaching single ladies around the World!

Sunday, 26 July 2015

Sorry guy's I don't have time to prepare, film and edit a haul at the moment.

I bought a few Limited Edition LUSH product's from #LushChristmasInJuly!

as well as a couple of favourite's in two separate online shop's.

Note: Everything purchased by me (apart from two sample's listed at the end).

Luxury Lush Pud (Bath Bomb)

Lush say's:

For a soothing and calming bath. This year Lush Pud has gone all luxury with colourful polka dots that float to the surface making pastel islands in the water. A relaxing bath treat made with the comforting lavender.

I haven't tried it yet but I can definitely notice the lavender and I like it. If I'm being honest I'd rather Lush bath bombs to be half the size they are because I feel wasteful using a huge one like this. I'd rather get two bath's from one this size but we all know they fizz and scent the water and dissolve so you can't get two bath's from one bomb - unless your jammy and cut one in half, but I can't see the fun in that. Lush should definitely at least trial size smaller bath bomb's, do you agree?

So White (Shower Gel) 250g

Lush also released Snow Fairy which is a favourite Christmas time scent of mine but I decided not to buy one until Christmas. I thought I'd try So White. I don't know if this has been released before or not but I liked the name and the label say's a sumptuous, shimmering shower gel as pure as the driven snow. Once I read that I knew it was the right decision to put in my basket.

It's quite a thick consistency. I haven't used it yet. It's Winter here so I'm waiting another few week's or a month to take a bath, it's too cold right now. I like the scent of it and I'm looking forward to using it. I'll let you know what it's like in a bath when I get around to using it.

Rose Queen Bath Bomb

Rose Queen smell's the same or very close to Rose Jam shower gel, which is a limited edition shower gel at Christmas. I noticed they had Rose Jam shower gel for Christmas in July but again I decided to go with the bath bomb because I'm going to wait until Christmas to get my paw's on Rose Jam and Snow Fairy shower gel's! I usually buy the 500gm bottles of those two and use sparingly so they last me over six month's. I like the scent of this. I like that it's a lot smaller than some of the other bath bombs and I can't wait to try it.

Lush say's:

A rose tinted spectacles bath. For times when all you want to see is the rosier side of life.

Granny Takes A Dip (Ballistic)

I think I'm more of a fan of the ballistic. My favourites are Granny, Ultra Violet and The Comforter. This is the second Granny I've bought and I think last time I was too heavy handed with the amount's I used for each bath. This time I'm determined to get a few more bath's out of it. If you use this one, how many bath's have you gotten from one ballistic? What size should I be using to get the most bath's out of it as well (without skimping on the product too much).

Lush say's:

Drop into warm water for psychedelic swirls of foaming colour across your ginger, pepper and lemon scented bath.

I love the size and colour's of this ballistic and the name's cute. I can definitely smell lemon and the slightest scent of ginger (I've not opened the packet) so I'll have to see if I can smell the pepper once I start using this. I do like the scent and I think of the thing's I have bought I'd probably try the So White first as I shower everyday, next I'd try the Luxury Lush Pud.

Twilight (Bath Bomb)

Let me just say that Twilight shower gel is my all time favourite Lush product. I get so upset when I've run out which I have. The only thing that can lift my mood is the Twilight bath bomb. They might not smell identical but when you've been without the shower gel for a very long time it's the next best thing. I really want Lush to bring Twilight back and soon. I think I ran out in September 2013 so yeah I'm missing it.

Twilight bomb is one of my favourite bombs from Lush. I just love the scent and that it's a big bomb so I have cut this in half once and it was great for two bath's but it's not an easy task cutting the bath bomb in half (if you want to try it make sure your prepared for bit's to fall off and you might not get an equal half. I probably won't be doing it again with this bomb, the mess after has put me off.

Lush say's:

A tremendously relaxing Lavender bath bomb to send you off to the land of nod.

I definitely agree with that. The scent is amazing. I love that I can smell it around my bathroom and bedroom the next day. If there was a Twilight room spray I'd be all over that for sure!

Pillar of Fizz (hold's 3 bath bombs)

I like the idea of having my bath bombs in one container and I've previously had a pillar of fizz in a cardboard when I lived in the UK, this one is black and white with nice little drawing's on it and it's made from recycled Lush pot's! I bought this probably two Lush haul's back (January or so). It's so handy. It won't get lost in my bathroom and it can be used again and again so I like refilling it.

The lovely mail/internet order team included a couple of sample's for me. They include a small block of Rock Star, which I just happen to be out of and it's my favourite Lush soap! I can't count how many time's I've bought Rock Star, I absolutely love it, I get so many compliment's when I use it. Hopefully, this will tied me over until I place my next Lush order which probably won't be until September at the earliest. I still have some Easter carrot's to use in the bath, comforter and ultra violence. I'm really overstocked on Lush at the moment but I wouldn't have it any other way!

They also included something I've not tried before which is Celebrate. This is also another Christmas in July product. Celebrate the festive season with this beautiful unpreserved hand and body lotion. Rich and wonderfully emollient, the cocoa butter and almond oil will replenish and moisturise your skin while the intoxicating blend of orange flower, lime, benzoin and cognac oil perfumes the skin with a champagne fragrance that lingers for hour's.

These are nice sample size's. The Celebrate is sealed in a container so it's going into my Uni bag.

I apologise this was long, if you made it this far, pat yourself on back, you deserve a treat!

What are your fave Lush product's? Pop them down below,
along with any link's to your Lush review(s).

Saturday, 25 July 2015

City Color retweeted my tweet and pointed out they're based in Ontario, USA. I just saw Ontario on the product and assumed it was Canadian. I have therefore made correction's to reflect it's a USA Cruelty Free brand and it's not Canadian.

A few week's ago I was searching on TradeMe for some #crueltyfree blushes (I'm a blush and lipstick girl) and I found a Seller who I've bought from before selling City Color.

City Color are a USA cruelty free brand. Firstly, I googled them to be sure they're cruelty free and as they look absolutely stunning and were affordable I decided to buy two of the four blushes listed.

Secondly, I love the colour's in this palette and I also like they're in flower shapes. It's very cute, totally right up my alley in term's of packaging, colour's, design, affordable and cruelty free. I like that they have four different shades in one blush so here are the pictures/swatches of Blossom.

The two little flowers/bows contain glitter and even though I'm a magpie for glitter I'd probably dip a small brush and use on top of the blush colour as a highlight and not over the entire area where I've applied blush but it'd depend on what look I'm going for. I think it'd be perfect for a night time look!

This was quite hard to photograph so I apologise for the slight blur but in term's of pigmentation this one's gorgeous. The flowers/bows are an overspray so I don't anticipate it lasting too long but that's okay. I love using the same blush all week, feeling good about the application and how it look's after a few hour's, plus seeing the product being used-up in the pan. Nothing thrill's me more than when I've hit pan (as long as I have a backup)!

For the swatch below I swirled my finger through all the flower's and I'm pretty happy with the result.

All photos taken by me without using a filter and taken with natural lighting.

Overall very impressed with my first City Color product. I'm looking for other product's to try!

Have you tried City Color before? Pop any recommendation's down below.

If you have any City Color review's, please also pop your link's below.